There are many widely held misconceptions about hunger in America. The first and most insidious is that there is no hunger in America. This myth is reinforced by deniers such as Rush Limbaugh, who, on his syndicated radio show, said: “The idea that there is perpetual hunger out there [in America] is a myth and a lie.”

Myth No. 1: Hunger is a myth

Fifty million Americans are “food-insecure.” The U.S. Department of Agriculture defines food insecurity as “consistent access to adequate food is limited by a lack of money and other resources at times during the year.”

Hunger is a serious problem in Mercer County, where 14,813 households (11 percent) live below the poverty line ($23,850 for a family of four) and another 32,156 (25 percent) earn above the poverty line but less than what they need to cover the basic costs of living.

The vast majority of the hundreds of individuals who come to the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen’s (TASK) main facility and its satellite sites in Princeton, Hamilton and Hightstown are food-insecure, as are thousands of individuals who frequent the more than 60 food pantries and emergency feeding sites in the county.

Myth No. 2: People are hungry because they are too lazy to work

A significant portion of TASK’s clients are the elderly, the physically challenged, the mentally ill and those suffering from substance abuse. Many of those served at area food pantries are from hard-working families who live below the federal poverty line. Given the high rents in New Jersey, it is often difficult for people in lower-wage jobs to provide for all of their family’s needs. Food is one of the few flexible items in a family’s budget; often, people do without food to pay other bills.

At TASK, a special quick-access line is available for the working poor, who come during their lunch break, some wearing paint-splattered overalls, because their income doesn’t meet all their needs. An increasing number of Mercer County residents who receive emergency food are the “new poor” — middle-class Americans unexpectedly shoved into the ranks of the poor due to the recession.

Myth No. 3: Many people who receive emergency food assistance need help because they have too many children

Most families who seek assistance consist of two or three people, usually a mom and one or two children (average household size is 2.2 individuals). Only 3 percent of households have more than six members. According to Feeding America, 52 percent of client households consist of a single person. These demographics are borne out at TASK.

Myth No. 4: All poor people get food stamps

Nationwide, roughly one-quarter of Americans eligible for federal nutrition assistance don’t sign up, according to the most recent USDA data. Many folks don’t know they are eligible, some find navigating the system too difficult and others don’t do it because of the stigma. Only 40 percent of eligible senior citizens participate. Half of all food stamps go to children.

Myth No. 5: The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance program (SNAP) is rife with fraud and abuse

Application accuracy for SNAP benefits is 96.2 percent (FY2011) and two-thirds of the errors were caseworkers’ mistakes — considerably higher than other major benefit programs. The national rate of food-stamp trafficking was approximately 1.3 cents per dollar during 2009-2011.

From time to time, an outrageous example of abuse receives extensive media attention. For every one of these incidents, there are hundreds of stories of heartbreaking need. The overwhelming majority of SNAP recipients follow the rules.

Myth No. 6: People on SNAP just need to get a job

SNAP provides a vital lifeline so that people and their families can eat while they search for a job. The program is designed to expand and contract in relation to the rise and fall in unemployment. Approximately 40 percent of households that receive SNAP benefits have at least one working person.

SNAP has strict time limits for unemployed workers. Able-bodied adults without dependents may receive only three months of SNAP benefits during any three-year period, unless they enroll in a qualified work training program. The SNAP benefit formula is structured to provide strong work incentives.

Myth No. 7: Undocumented immigrants are eligible for SNAP benefits

Not true. Additionally, there is a strict waiting period for documented immigrants. Documented adult immigrants (those with a green card) must wait five years before they are eligible for SNAP. Only 4 percent of SNAP participants are non-citizens (documented immigrants or refugees).

Myth No. 8: There is nothing we can do to help the hungry

There’s plenty we can do: volunteer; donate or collect food from lists developed by local hunger relief organizations, and urge Congress members to oppose cuts in SNAP benefits.

Hunger isn’t only about food. It’s also about jobs and wages. Those who are concerned about hunger should also support living-wage laws. According to the USDA, the fastest-growing demographic among SNAP recipients are people who, because of their low wages, had to apply for food stamps to feed their families.

Irwin S. Stoolmacher is president of the Stoolmacher Consulting Group.